One Night
by Hatter-Break
Summary: After an exciting night fuled by alcohol and hidden feelings, Gaara realizes that he needs more than just a one night stand. Gaara x OC lemon.
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone! I may or may not expand on this, but for now it's a oneshot that's loosely inspired by the song One Night, by Ed Sheeran. I have very little experience writing smut, and this is the first smut piece I've published, so any feedback you may have to offer would be a great help! I hope you enjoy! Happy reading~

* * *

A soft, warm light filtered through the bedside window, bringing a young woman to stir from her comfortable slumber. Her eyes, still somewhat heavy with sleep, slowly blinked open. As she took in her surroundings, knots began to form in the pit of her stomach. She recognized the room, but knew it wasn't hers.

She tried to sit up, only to find that she was caught in someone's embrace. She turned her head, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the shock of red hair contrasted against the pale face. This is exactly what she had been afraid to find. The man in question was Gaara, Mayako's best friend and Kazekage.

The previous night's events were coming back to her. The phantom sensation of booze fueled desire, the scent of sweat and sex, the echoes of euphoric moans.

She let out a groan and allowed her head to fall back to the pillow. He was going to be pissed when he woke up. She had allowed her long held attraction and drunken lust to get the better of her, consequently dragging Gaara into his own salacious spiral. Now, the both of them were going to have to fend off his gossip hungry siblings and any other Suna shinobi that may have seen them slip away from the previous night's festival. After a little thought she decided it would be best for her to leave before he woke up. Perhaps, she thought, he would think it was a all a dream.

She cast one more glance at his sleeping face, and a smile came to her lips upon seeing just how peaceful his expression was. With that, she held her breath and did her best to wriggle free from his arms, disturbing him as little as possible. Once she managed to sit all the way up on the bed, she realized that getting dressed would be a slight chore. As she scanned the room, she saw the clothes that had been sloppily scattered all about in the midst of their feverish hunger for one another. She slid off the bed, landing lightly on her feet. Mayako then began to tiptoe towards the nearest article of clothing, her skimpy black underwear. As she bent over to pick them up, she felt something tickling her ankle. She jumped slightly at the unexpected sensation, then looked down to see what had caused it. Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw a small stream of sand encircling her ankle. She followed it with her gaze, knowing exactly where it would lead.

The Kazekage was now sitting up slightly, leaning on one arm while the other was slightly outstretched to direct his sand. Her eyes swept over his bear chest, stopping for a moment to examine the multiple dark red bruises that stained his fair complexion, and then up to his pale seafoam eyes. Seeing those eyes fixated on her from behind hooded lids brought about a sudden wave of embarrassment and she moved to quickly cover her nakedness.

"Gaara!" came her startled cry. "I-I'm sorry, I was...I was just going, so-"

"Please Mayako," he cut her off, his husky voice coming out in almost a whisper. "Please stay." He was pleading now, and he seemed more vulnerable in that moment than Mayako could ever remember seeing the stoic redhead. Surprised, she began taking steps towards him, though she was unsure if it was by her own will or if she was being urged on by his sand.

"But Kankuro, a-and Temari, surely they'll wonder-"

"I'm not worried about them right now," he interrupted again in a low growl. Now that she was close enough, he sat up and took her by the wrist to pull her back onto the bed. He positioned her so that she was in his lap facing him. He grabbed her face and tangled his fingers in her raven hair, bringing his forehead to meet hers.

"Gaara…" she murmured softly.

"I don't want to be alone anymore." Without giving her a chance to respond, he closed what little space was left between them, claiming her lips as his own. She melted into his kiss without any hesitation, leaning with one hand on each of his thighs to keep from falling over. She gave his legs a slight squeeze, loving the feel of his taut skin over toned muscles. She licked his bottom lip, requesting entrance, which he quickly denied. He wanted to take the lead this time. He wanted to express to her that this time, it wasn't simply about trying to satisfy a nearly unquenchable lust.

Last night, when she had fallen asleep in his arms, a powerful emotion, unlike any he had felt before, came over him. His craving wasn't simply physical, he now had a longing to make her reciprocate those feelings. Determined, Gaara pulled his hands away from her face and ran them slowly and deliberately down her slim body to her hips where they would come to rest.

With his arms out of the way, Mayako was free to wrap hers around his neck. Using this shift in her balance to his advantage, he pushed her down to lie on the bed and brought one knee up to rest between her legs. His grip was gentle,but his subtle strength was enough to keep her pinned down beneath him.

He slid his tongue over her top lip then came to bite down on the bottom, dragging his teeth along the plump flesh before breaking the kiss. This elicited a needy whimper from her, but it was ignored. He instead traveled downwards, kissing, biting and sucking his way around her neck, clavicle and shoulders. His movements were driven by a heated passion, yet they were tender, much more so than last night's encounter. When he hit a sweet spot, Mayako gasped sharply, arching her back, bringing her ample breasts to press against Gaara's sturdy chest. Upon feeling the soft mounds, tipped by erect nipples against his own sensitive skin, a fresh wave of arousal flowed through him.

He repositioned himself, bringing one arm up near her shoulder, coming to lean on his forearm. This lifted him up enough to allow him to teasingly walk his fingers up her delicate skin until he reached her bosom, where he took a generous handful of the voluptuous orb. He began to massage it steadily before bringing his calloused fingers to pinch her nipple, sending another wave of pleasure coursing through her body. As he busied himself rolling circling her nipple, she decided it was time to begin exploring his delectable body.

She ran her hands down his strong, well muscled back before coming to tightly grope the fleshy rise of his firm ass. She gave him a couple of forceful squeezes, then allowed one hand to trail down the outside of his hip, and around to the front. She brought her fingertips to his hard member, which had been throbbing against her thigh for a while now. Starting at the base, she drew her fingers up towards his head, where he was already slick with precum. Her light touch moved along her prize in a painfully slow fashion. It sent chills down his spine, driving him mad. Gaara's hips jerked impatiently. Mayako let out a chuckle at his reaction. She reached his head and made tantalizing circles around his opening with the very tip of her index finger. His breathing became faster and his cock twitched with anticipation.

Without warning, she gripped what she could of his impressive shaft and gave a gentle tug. The Kazekage had to bite his lip to stifle the loud, involuntary moan that escaped him. Her stormy grey eyes were fixated on his reddening face, and he suddenly felt self conscious. He decided the best way to remedy this was to bury his face in her cleavage, nipping slightly at her skin.

Shifting his weight onto his other arm, he brought his hand to tease her neglected nipple. Her grip on him tightened, but he fought to remain in control. He slid his tongue up the middle of her chest and around the top of the breast he had just left, bringing his mouth to engulf the sensitive tip. He sucked, and flicked at her pert nipple, savouring the intoxicating taste of her. She let out a sigh that was rich with an erotic delight. Her hands left his body and twisted her fingers up in his silky auburn locks, which were damp with sweat, pressing his face closer to her chest.

After a moment, Gaara brought his face up to take a breath, a thin line of saliva continuing to connect his tongue with her chest. Their gaze met once more, her hands sliding down to the top of his shoulders and a smirk came to his lips. He was eager to watch her expression as his hand traveled downwards. His fingers lingered right at the top of her pelvis. Biting her lip in suspense, she pushed her hips into his hand, wanting desperately for him to touch her. He obliged, though not in the way she wanted. He was going to move slowly, just as she had. He grazed her pussy lightly with his fingertips, and she once again rolled her hips into his hand.

He at last delved into her wet folds, his nimble fingers tracing her entrance while his thumb found her clit. He pressed gently on the bundle of nerves, causing Mayako to dig her nails sharply into his skin. This reaction peaked his interest, so he played a little, moving his thumb up and down, side to side, then around in circles. All the while, her breathing became heavier, her nails dug deeper, and at last his name was pulled from her lips in the most rapturous of tones.

"Gaara…" she repeated, softly this time. He couldn't resist her much longer.

"Mayako…" he murmured. He brought his lips to her parted ones as he slipped one finger inside of her, swallowing her gasp. Slowly, he explored her tight walls, experiencing every rough patch and every smooth surface he could reach. He pumped in and out once, twice, and then broke their kiss. He watched her blissful expression as he slipped a second finger into her hot slit alongside the first. He rocked his fingers in and out to be sure she was nice and slick before scissoring them, stretching her in preparation for what was to come. She bucked her hips in time with his movements, enticing him to grind against her until he could no longer stand it. Pulling his fingers from her, he took a hold of her curvaceous hips, positioning his tip right at her entrance.

The small nod of approval was all he needed before pushing into her, allowing himself to be surrounded by her warmth. A shuddering breath left his lungs at the feeling, and her delicate whimper reverberated in his ears. He allowed her to get used to his girth before slowly beginning to thrust steadily in and out. She began to rock her hips with his, her desire to be connected with him growing. Their pace quickened, the sound of skin slapping on skin echoing throughout the bedroom, mingled with unsuppressed moans and passionate cries. Mayako suddenly wrapped her slender legs around his torso, her strong thighs holding him close, forcing him deeper into her.

"Maya...ko," he got out between his ragged breaths. That low, seductive voice saying her name with such desperation was enough to drive her wild and she began to grind her hips into his even harder. Gaara brought her into a tight embrace, biting down on her shoulder in the heat of the moment, his mind becoming cloudy. Her enchanting voice, the rhythm of her bouncing breasts against him, the intoxicating scent of her, the squeezing of her walls on his were the only things that existed in that moment. He could feel the heat building, and pressure rising. Right on the precipice of ecstasy, he pulled out of her tight hold, releasing himself on her stomach, her name rolling from his tongue once more.

Though he was ready to collapse, he didn't want to neglect her. His fingers found her clit again, before she could lose her high. He worked the sensitive area, moving the fingers from his other hand to fill her once more. Her cries escalated, her hands clutching at the sheets beneath her. Her senses were both numb and yet very much alive, her remaining thoughts before blanking out entirely were focused solely on the man before her.

"Gaara!" she nearly screamed as her walls contracted on his fingers, and her body was wracked by euphoric convulsions. As quickly as it had come, her orgasm ended. Gaara pulled his hand from her, then allowed himself to fall beside her as he tried to ease his rapid heart rate. For a moment, they just basked in the afterglow of it all. As her breathing returned to normal, she began to laugh gleefully. Gaara sat up to look at her, startled. He thought perhaps he had done something wrong, or absurd. She looked up at him, her face absolutely glowing.

"I'm sorry, Mayako, I don't understand what's so funny," he stated, clearly confused.

"I'm just happy, silly Kazekage," she answered, beaming. His cheeks flushed a fresh shade of red, and a smile came to his lips. He beckoned his sand to bring a towel, which he used to wipe down her stomach.

"I'm happy as well." Mayako sat up, still giddy with excitement, her heart fluttering with emotion.

"Gaara I-" he cut her off with a soft kiss.

"I told you I don't want to be alone any longer…" he started. "So I expect you'll be back tonight?" Her grin returned upon hearing his words.

"I think I can make that possible," she said mischievously. Her brow then furrowed. "But what about you, Gaara? I'm sure you're way behind on today's paperwork." His green eyes widened, and he practically flew from the bed, hurriedly searching for his clothing. Mayako chuckled, following him off the bed.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," he grumbled under his breath as he pulled his black pants on. She came up behind him, holding out his high collared, red coat. She helped him to slip it on, and began to dress herself as he did up the clasps.

"I suppose we should leave separately, huh?" she questioned hesitantly. To her surprise, he shook his head.

"Of course not. After all, you'll have to explain to my siblings where we were last night." Her smile fell. Without any further discussion,Gaara headed for his door. Opening it, he glanced back at the still baffled Mayako. "Are you coming?" She didn't respond, and he continued on.

"Gaara, come on," she finally said. "You can't be serious...come on, wait!" With that, she ran after him, closing the door behind her.


	2. First Date

Mayako rolled over as she stirred from her sleep, stretching her arms out. It had been a week since that fateful festival, and she had spent nearly every night since then with Gaara. Last night hadn't been such a night, and waking up in her own bed felt rather lonely. Despite this, she couldn't help but smile, letting out a giddy laugh as she remembered what day it was. She quickly crawled out from under her sheets, eagerly skipping to her closet. She picked through clothing as she remembered the events that had transpired just a few days prior.

* * *

 _Mayako stood outside of the Kazekage's office, taking a deep breath. This will be her first time formally seeing the handsome redhead since their encounter at the festival. He had sent her a summons, which wasn't uncommon, considering their friendship, but this is the first time she had ever been nervous about it. She took one more calming breath before opening the door. At the sound of her entering, Gaara looked up from his paperwork, his eyes lighting up._

" _Mayako, there you are!" She smiled, some of her anxiety fading upon seeing his reaction._

" _You needed to see me, Gaara?" Ignoring her casual form of addressing him, he stacked his papers neatly and set them aside. He placed his hands on his desk and got to his feet._

" _Um, yes...I did…" The hesitation in his response worried her. She looked at him expectantly, and he cleared his throat before continuing on. "I've been thinking about...about the other day…and the past few nights..." His face began to glow red, subtly at first, but within moments, his usually fair skin was nearly the same shade as his hair. Mayako bit her lip._

" _I'm sorry...If I've put you in an awkward position, I-" He shook his head._

" _No, no, that's not it," he corrected her. A sigh escaped him. "I've been considering where we stand, in terms of our relationship that is, and...well…" He averted his gaze from hers. "I was wondering if…" As he spoke, his words became quieter and more mumbled, until they were unintelligible. She raised a brow._

" _What was that?" she questioned. He seemed to shrink back slightly, a frustrated look appearing on his flushed face as he still refused to meet her eyes._

" _I was wondering...I was wondering if you would join me on a date!" he finally blurted out. As his words sunk in, a grin slowly began to spread across Mayako's face. She ran up to his desk, slapping her hands down on the wooden surface._

" _Of course!" she exclaimed. He finally looked up at her, his pale green eyes wide. A small smile then graced his features._

" _How does the end of the week sound?" She nodded. "I still have some work to finish today, but we can discuss details tonight," he suggested._

" _I would love to," she agreed. Mayako leaned forward, her feet coming off the ground as she trusted her weight to his desk, then pecked him quickly on the cheek. She then hopped down and hurried to the door. "I'll see you tonight!" she called joyfully as she took off, a light skip in her step, leaving behind a speechless Kazekage._

* * *

The memory brought a grin to Mayako's face as she sat in front of her mirror, combing her wild bed head before pulling her dark hair up as she always did. Though he had decided on the day and time, Gaara hadn't mentioned what he had planned on doing with their day, so Mayako wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Suddenly, there was a knock on her door.

"Coming!" she called, checking the mirror one last time before rushing to answer it. When she opened the door she was met by the nervous pale eyes of her favorite redhead.

"A-are you ready to go?" he questioned. She nodded, stepping outside and closing the door behind her. "Are you hungry?" He was avoiding eye contact.

" Gaara," she started. As cute as she found it, she couldn't allow the whole day to pass like this. "Why are you so nervous?"

"I'm not good at this sort of thing…" She chuckled. "What?" he questioned, somewhat offended.

"You don't have anything to prove to me Gaara. We've been friends for years. You may not know it, but we've been on many dates, and you handled them just fine," she explained. He was clearly confused by her words. "How many times have we gone to lunch together, or sat on the roof of your office just talking?"

"Quite a few…" he admitted. She nodded.

"Exactly. This is the same, just with a little more meaning behind it. Hell, we've even slept together. Several times. That's one less thing for you to worry about."

"The sex is easier," he mumbled. She let out a snort of laughter, amused by his blunt, yet awkward statement. Gaara flushed, realizing what he had said. "I-I mean, it's more about instincts than social abilities." She took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Just try to relax," she said with smile. He nodded.

"Shall we go then?" he asked, gaining a little confidence. She nodded, and he hesitantly led the way

* * *

After a pleasant meal, Mayako and Gaara, who was now far more comfortable, were taking the back streets of the village to his residence, chatting and laughing, her arm looped around his. They would have taken the main streets, but had come to the conclusion that given his position as the Kazekage, it would be in both of their best interests to keep the relationship on the down low.

"So, what is it you're going to show me Lord Kazekage?" she questioned, her tone slightly provocative. He glanced down at her, chuckling.

"Not quite what you're thinking. Now I'm worry that you'll be disappointed." She shook her head.

"I'm sure I won't be," she assured. They reached his home and he let them in. The fragrance of his home excited Mayako, but she kept herself in control. Gaara was eager to show her something, and she wasn't about to get in the way that.

"They're back here," he stated, leading her towards the back of the house. She had spent plenty of time in Gaara's home, but never past the front rooms. He brought her to a small room. Both the ceiling and back wall were entirely glass, allowing sunlight to stream in. Both side walls consisted of an upper and a lower shelf, each lined with different cacti. Some were dotted with small colorful flowers, while others were topped with one large one. A few had dangerous looking spines, and there was one that seemed almost fluffy. Mayako grinned.

"You finally got the hang of it, huh?" She remembered he had tried to cultivate cacti years ago, but they had kept dying on him. Then he had been kidnapped by the Akatsuki. The terror group threw the five great villages into a chaotic period, leaving him little time for hobbies. She hadn't realized he had picked it back up. "When did you start this again?" she questioned, walking up to examine a delicate purple flower that had bloomed on one of them. Gaara's chest puffed out slightly with pride.

"Well, after the war, things were hectic. I was trying to finalize relations with the other villages, restabilize our own, and...and waiting for you to wake up," he explained. Mayako moved her focus to his face.

The war had been a little more than a year ago, but she still remembered it vividly. She had fucked up royally, ignoring orders from Gaara himself to stay with Temari's unit. Instead she stayed behind when the unit retreated from the battle with Madara. Gaara was exhausted from his previous battle, and she simply couldn't bear to leave him behind, but she had been no match for the undead shinobi. Had Gaara not been there, she surely would have been dead.

"I was told that, considering your injuries, it could have been months before you woke up. To give myself a break from everything, and to have something for you to wake up to, I gave it another go. Of course you woke up after only two weeks, so I had nothing to show you. I decided then that I would wait until I had a full greenhouse to show, but...I thought this would make an appropriate date." He finished, and glanced around at his hard work. "I truly hope you like them." She threw her arms around him, catching him off balance, but he caught her, returning her hug.

"They're beautiful!" She looked up at him. "I love them, I really do." She reached up to kiss him, and he bent down so his lips could tenderly meet hers. She pulled away.

"Tell me about them!" His features lit up, and he was clearly excited to elaborate on his hobby.

"Alright, if you really want to hear about them." He reached for the first desert plant, already starting to ramble on about the species and what it took to nurture it. They spent the remainder of the date together in the warmth of the room, discussing each cactus in detail before sharing a homemade dinner and retiring to his bedroom for the night.


	3. Not so Secret

Unrestrained moans echoed through the office of the Kazekage. What had started simply as assigning a mission had escalated as they were saying their goodbyes. Now the young raven haired woman that held his affections was straddling him, rolling her hips against him, and bringing him deeper inside of her. He had a tight grip on her perfectly shaped ass, his head thrown back as raw pleasure shot through his body. Her hands moved from his shoulders to take hold of his face so she could crash her lips into his, her tongue exploring his mouth hungrily. He had no desire to fight for dominance, and allowed her to do as she pleased. After getting her fill, she pulled away to look down at him, a thin strand of saliva running between their tongues as their hooded eyes met. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Lord Kazekage?"a familiar voice questioned. They each watched as the other's eyes widened with panic.

"Shit!" Mayako hissed. She pulled away, eliciting a sharp gasp from him as he fell abruptly out of her.

"One moment," Gaara called, doing his best to keep his voice steady. "Get under the desk," he then ordered quietly.

"What? Why the desk?"

"Shh!" She reluctantly did as she was told while he carefully pulled his underwear and pants back over his still throbbing erection, then re-clasped his open coat. He ran a hand through his damp, messy hair, hoping to have some semblance of normalcy. Garra then interlaced his fingers, resting his nose over the top of them in an attempt to hide his face, which was now glowing and streaked with sweat. "You may enter!" he finally called once he was door opened, and in walked his older siblings, Kankuro and Temari. The blonde woman, the eldest of the sand siblings, glanced around the room, her brow furrowed. Kankuro, on the other hand, wore a smirk on his painted lips. This made Gaara uneasy.

"Was there someone here?" Temari questioned. Gaara shook his head.

"What did you two need?" he asked, trying to hurry things along so they would leave. Temari took one more skeptical look around the office before returning her attention to her younger brother.

"The council wants to hold a meeting with you, they have something to discuss," she explained formally.

"They need to do that now?" Gaara demanded, his tone gruffer than he had intended. He didn't have the patience for this. His pants were uncomfortably tight, and it didn't help that he could feel Mayako's warmth radiating between his legs. "Is it urgent?" he asked, more subdued this time.

"They would like to see you as soon as possible," she replied. She then raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright, Gaara? You're acting strange." Kankuro placed a hand on her shoulder.

"He's probably just tired, Temari. Come on, let's go." She shook her brother off of her.

"No, if he's sick, we need to know!" She came to his desk and leaned forward, reaching for his forehead. Startled, he jumped back from her hand, kicking Mayako, hoping she would move back farther. She had to bite her tongue to keep from letting out a grunt as his foot flew into her stomach. His sister's fingers brushed his bangs, which were sticking to his forehead. "You seem warm, do you have a fever?" He slapped her hand away from him.

"I'm fine," he snapped. "I'll go meet with the council. Is that all you needed?" Temari frowned, but nodded. Kankuro grabbed her once more.

"Leave him alone sis, he's not a little kid anymore, he's a busy man now." With those words, Kankuro shot Gaara a knowing look, and the Kazekage's eyes narrowed. "We've delivered our message, I'm sure he has things to do to get ready." He managed to convince her, and they started towards the door. Temari stopped and turned around once more.

"You'd better be alright, I can't be worrying you while I'm visiting with the Leaf." He gave her a small smile.

"I'm fine," he reassured. "Better than ever." After staring him down for a moment longer, she finally turned and followed Kankuro out of the room, closing the door behind her. Gaara let out a sigh, and looked down at Mayako, who was now crawling out from under the desk. It was an appealing view, but Gaara was now distracted by other thoughts. She got to her feet, rubbing her stomach.

"You could have been a little more gentle," she complained.

"Kankuro knows…" he muttered, folding his arms across his chest. It wasn't truly a problem if his siblings were to learn of their relationship, but the two of them could potentially become overly enthusiastic and expose the couple to the public sooner than they would like. Being the Kazekage, a development such as this in his life would cause quite a stir in the village, and this was something they wanted to avoid for the time being. They simply wanted to enjoy one another's company in peace. She could tell that, thanks to the interruption, the mood was now fizzling, so Mayako got to her feet, pulling her clothing out from under his desk to get dressed.

"He would have said something, I'm sure you're just being paranoid." She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Besides, they'll find out soon enough anyways. They aren't idiots." He smiled and nodded.

"You're right. There's no need to hide this forever." He stood from his chair, resting his hand on the back of Mayako's neck so he could pull her forward and kiss the top of her head. He then took a file that was sitting on his desk and handed it over to her. "For now, we both have responsibilities to attend to." She looked at the mission folder, the reason Gaara had summoned her in the first place. She nodded, and he walked her to the door.

"Good luck with the council," she said looking up at him.

"Good luck with your mission," he replied. They just looked at each other for a moment, neither of them were quite ready to say goodbye. It was the first extended mission that had been assigned to her since they had begun seeing one another a few months earlier, and they were both anxious to be separated. Mayako sighed.

"I guess I should get going." She turned to open the door, but she was stopped by Gaara's hand on her wrist. He pulled her to him in a warm embrace. She was quick to return his hug.

"Please return to me safely," he requested softly. She smiled and pulled away to look at him.

"I'll be fine. It's just a few days, right?" He nodded, and she reached up, pulling his face towards hers so that their lips could meet.

"I love you, Mayako," he said, when they parted, his tone sweet.

Hearing those words still caused butterflies to flutter in her stomach. He had said them for the first time just two days prior. They had decided to admire the star spattered sky from the roof of the Kazekage manor, and a blanket of comfortable silence had rested over them for what seemed like ages. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the words just fell from his mouth. He had been as surprised as she had by his confession, and the thought still brought warmth to her cheeks.

"I love you, Gaara," she replied genuinely. She slowly moved away from him, their fingers being the last thing to part, and once they had she opened the door and started on her way. She only made it a little ways down the hallway before she was suddenly flanked by the two eldest sand siblings. They hooked their arms with hers and began to drag her back towards Gaara's office. "Hey, what the hell guys?" she demanded, playing dumb and trying to wriggle free from them. Kankuro chuckled.

"It's funny, Mayako. You just came from the Kazekage's office, yet we never saw you enter," he started.

"I knew he was acting funny, would that be your doing?" Temari questioned.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Upon reaching Gaara's office, Kankuro threw the door open. He had just finished donning his official robes, and was about to put on his Kage hat. He turned at the sound of his door opening, his eyes betraying his shock as they moved from Mayako to his siblings then back to Mayako. She gave a sheepish grin.

"Hi there, Lord Kazekage…" Temari and Kankuro released her, pushing her into Gaara, who instinctively caught her. His stomach did flips as he felt her warm breath on his still sensitive skin. His siblings both folded their arms across their chest, blocking the doorway.

"Out with it," Temari demanded. "What's going on with you two?" They looked at one another and Gaara stepped away as he realized he was still holding her. They began rambling over each other under the scrutinizing stare of their two allies.

"What do you mean?"

"No, us? What?"

"Nothing is going on!"

"Are you crazy?" Noticing just how ridiculous they sounded, they both went silent.

"And the truth?" the puppet master pushed. Mayako cast a glance at the man beside her. She was surprised to see the confidence in the gaze he had fixed on his siblings.

"Just don't spread the news too much," he finally requested. Temari and Kankuro shared a victorious look, excited expressions appearing on their faces. Temari gave a giddy laugh, taking a few steps over to them and bringing them both into a hug.

"I'm so glad! I was worried you would always be too oblivious to figure it out, Gaara!" He frowned at his sister, but didn't defend himself. Kankuro approached them as well, patting his little brother on the back.

"You did good bro," he congratulated. "Even if she is a lightweight," he added, taunting Mayako with their perpetual drinking contest.

"Oh, shut it Kankuro. You know I would have won last time if…" Mayako trailed off, remembering that the last time they had held their competition. It had been the night of the festival several months prior. Kankuro noticed her falter and was able to piece two and two together.

"If you hadn't disappeared with my brother to f-"

"That's enough," Gaara interrupted. "Have you forgotten that meeting that the two of you insisted on informing me of?" Temari chuckled.

"Of course not," she replied apologetically. "Come on Kankuro, we can get them to tell us more later." He gave a disappointed huff, but complied.

"Fine, fine. We'll talk later." Gaara showed them out, then, with an exasperated sigh, looked at Mayako.

"I told you he knew." A smile slowly crept to his lips despite his weary words. "But he's right…" His hand slid down from the door knob to the lock below it, clicking it. Mayako looked at him, intrigued. "I did good." She laughed as he copied Kankuro's words, as they were rather unlike him. He reached and grabbed her arm, pulling her up against him. "They brought you back here. I think that might be a sign that we should finish what we started before you leave." She snaked her arms around his neck, her lips curling with a smirk.

"Are you shirking your responsibilities, Kazekage?" she teased.

"The council can wait, as can...your mission…" He trailed off as he began kissing her jawline.

"We might be interrupted again," she warned, her words breathy.

"We won't be," he assured, nipping at the tender spot on her neck. "I won't let that happen."


	4. Unwelcome Visitor

A young redhead stirred from his sound sleep as the woman that laid beside him moved to leave the bed. He pulled her back to him, missing the warmth her body provided.

"Where are you going?" he questioned in a sleepy murmur, not bothering to open his eyes.

"Someone was knocking on my front door, I'm going to see who it is," she explained.

"It's probably Kankuro coming to ruin my morning with news from the council." Mayako chuckled. Gaara took his position as Kazekage very seriously, so she found it rather cute when he voiced his annoyance for his work in such a childish manner. "Let him wait…" He nuzzled into her shoulder intending to fall back to sleep, but Mayako had no such intentions. She freed herself from his arms, earning a disapproving groan.

"Kankuro or no Kankuro, you still have work to do, do you not, Lord Kazekage?" she questioned with a teasing lilt in her voice. "I have training to assist with today as well."

"Fine," he muttered, sitting up slowly while she was already getting dressed.

"What if I make breakfast before you go, will that make it better?" she offered. He gave a small smile.

"Perhaps." She let out a cheerful laugh.

"Alright, just let me get the door first." With that, Mayako turned and left the room. Moments later, he could hear her surprised, unexpectedly angry, greeting to whomever was at the door. "What are you doing here?" Curious, and slightly worried, Gaara got out of bed, pulling his boxers and pants on, then his coat, and went to see who it could be. He could hear harsh whispers drifting from her entryway, adding to his confusion.

"Mayako?" he questioned turning the corner. He froze upon discovering who it was that had come to call. Standing in the doorway was a cold beauty of a woman. She looked a great deal like Mayako, but much older, and with more severe features. Her icy grey eyes widened when her gaze fell upon him. This made Gaara want to turn and run, but he stood his wore an expression of mild horror. The woman's gaze slowly moved to fixate on Mayako.

"What is he doing here?"

"Mother, you should just go."

"What is this monster doing in your home?" she demanded, ignoring Mayako's suggestion. Her mother's words hit Gaara like a punch to the gut, but they weren't unsurprising. Though she had never actually acted alongside them, Harue had been a highly vocal supporter of the anti-Kazekage factions before they had been forced to disband. When she had learned that her daughter considered him a friend she had wasted no time in distancing herself from Mayako. She now lived in seclusion on the outskirts of the village, refusing to associate with those that had come to accept Gaara.

"He slept here, okay?" she finally snapped, knowing that her mother would be displeased with any answer she provided. "Now, get the hell out of my house! I don't know why you thought you would be welcome here, but you certainly aren't if you're going to speak about Gaara that way." Though her tone demanded attention, Harue seemed uninterested in what she had to say as she focused her fury on Gaara.

"You!" she spat out. "What have you done to my daughter?" She advanced towards the Kazekage, but Mayako was quick to place herself between the two of them.

"Leave!" Mayako ordered. Her mother scoffed.

"Leave?" Gaara shrunk back slightly at the sound of her mother's shrill response. "How could I leave knowing that you're being violated by this beast? It was bad enough when you befriended him, but I won't stand for this!"

"You have no right to waltz in here and begin judging who I sleep with!" Mayako bit back. "You've been gone for years, what the hell does it matter to you?"

"It doesn't matter that I've been gone, I'm still your mother!" Mayako let out an incredulous laugh.

"You relinquished that role a long time ago." she retorted bitterly. "This man that you call a monster cares for me more than you ever have! He's been here for me while you've been hiding in your damn hateful bubble!"

"Do you know how many lives he's taken?" Mayako went quiet, while he felt knots forming in his stomach. He walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Mayako, don't worry about it. She's right, I-"

"No, she's not right!" Mayako held Harue's intense stare with an icy glare of her own. "Many lives were taken by his hand, but many more have been saved thanks to him." Gaara felt a pleasing warmth spread through his chest upon hearing her words. "He died for village, and you were there to witness that!"

"And he should have stayed that way, but that old fool just had to bring him back," she muttered. He could now feel the waves of rage flowing off of Mayako at her mother's response.

"I'd be dead if it weren't for him." Harue raised an eyebrow.

"I'm surprised you aren't dead because of him," she retorted. These were the words that finally got under Gaara's skin.

"I would never-" Mayako held her arm out to stop him.

"Just get the fuck out mother." she said calmly. Harue held her hard stare for a moment. As if to make the point that she wouldn't back down, Mayako quickly turned to face Gaara, grabbed the collar of his coat and pulled him into a rough kiss. He was thrown off guard for a moment, but was then more than happy to melt into her lips.

"Disgusting girl," her mother growled, finally turning and heading for the door. Mayako broke their kiss to watch her leave.

"Mayako…" Gaara said softly. She looked up at him, her blazing eyes finally softening. "Are you alright?" She nodded and let out a sigh. "Do you want to talk over breakfast?" She nodded again, and led him to the kitchen. He took a seat at her bar style counter while she began rummaging through her cabinets.

"Pancakes?" she questioned, trying to hide her sour mood.

"That sounds good," he agreed. She quickly began whipping up a batter, avoiding his concerned green gaze. "Why was she here?" he finally asked, realizing that she wouldn't approach the subject herself. She didn't answer for a while, instead setting up the frying pan. "Mayako?"

"I don't know," she finally said with an irritated huff. "She said she had something important to discuss…" She poured the batter for the first pancake into the pan. "I just told her I didn't want to hear it." She turned and walked to the counter across from him, leaning on it. "I mean, what could she possibly have to discuss with me after all of these years?" He wasn't sure what he could say to comfort her, so he simply rested his hand on hers.

"Maybe you should have spoken with her?" Her lip curled with disgust at his suggestion.

"After the things she's said about you? Hell no, Gaara. She had her opportunity to earn back my respect in the war and she passed it up. I'm done with her." As she spoke, her pitch rose, and she was clearly becoming more and more agitated. The pan behind her began to smoke and the slightest burning smell began to waft throughout the room. Mayako whipped around, flustered. "Damnit!" she snapped, quickly pulling the pan off of the heat. Gaara got to his feet and quickly made his way to her side. He had made her frustration worse and wanted to rectify that. He took the pan from her, setting it aside.

"Maybe we'll skip breakfast today."

"But-"

"We'll skip breakfast, and go for dinner tonight instead, okay?" Hesitantly, she nodded. "You've stood up for me, despite what I was, for all of these years and you'll never understand how grateful I am for that," he started. "I can't pretend to know the extent of your relationship with your mother, but don't work yourself up like this for my sake." A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"I can't help it, you're important to me…" She kissed his cheek. "I'll be fine, I just need a bit of time to cool off. We both still have things we need to get done today." He nodded.

"I suppose you're right. Just stop by my office when you're done with your genin, we'll discuss dinner." Their lips touched in a gentle goodbye, and with that they put their tumultuous morning behind them.


	5. The Dance

Music and laughter rang through the chilled spring air of Konoha that evening and the warm glow of festival lanterns lit the streets. It was a night of celebration as the great hero of the Leaf, and a dear friend to the Kazekage, concluded his wedding day. Gaara was sat beside Mayako, who was sipping on plum wine, as they watched the energetic blond dance with his beautiful young wife, Hinata. Others had begun to join in as well as the atmosphere grew more lively. Even Temari joined in with a Leaf ninja by the name of Shikamaru. Mayako glanced at Gaara, who watched with a small content smile.

"Looks like fun, huh?" Mayako questioned, a slight implication in her tone. He looked down at her.

"Uh...yeah, they do look like they're having fun, don't they?" he responded hesitantly. He had never really danced before, and certainly had no interest of making a fool of himself at Naruto's wedding. Mayako sighed.

"I'll go find Kankuro, he'll dance with me," she mumbled. She downed the rest of her drink and got to her feet.

"Oh! Mayako...wait…" Feeling guilty, he tried to stop her, but she was already walking away, her red dress swishing enticingly around her beautifully curved hips.

It didn't take her long to find the puppet master who, as expected, had settled in at the nearby bar. It was only moments later that Gaara saw Mayako reemerge from the crowd, now pulling Kankuro behind her. The moment their feet hit the dance floor, she spun to face his brother and he caught her in his arms, laughing cheerfully. As he watched the two dance, both smiling brightly, Gaara began to shift uncomfortably. He knew their fun was innocent, but that didn't prevent the tinges of jealousy from nagging at his insecurities before settling as a heavy lump in the pit of his stomach. When Mayako twirled away from and back towards Kankuro, Gaara decided he had had enough of sitting by and watching as his brother's hands landed a little too low for his liking. He got to his feet and marched across the dance floor.

"Kankuro!" he called sternly as he approached the two. They turned upon hearing his voice, and both appeared pleased to see him, seemingly oblivious to the menacing blue-green stare he was directing at his brother.

"Gaara! What's that sour expression for?" Kankuro questioned, casually draping his arm over Mayako's shoulders. It was something he did often, but in that moment the Kazekage found it rather infuriating. "It's a night for celebration, why don't you-" Before the middle sand sibling could finish his sentence, the youngest quickly took Mayako by the arm and pulled her to him.

"You'll finally dance with me?" she questioned eagerly as she fell against him.

"Well, you're certainly not going to dance with Kankuro anymore." Her brow furrowed at his words.

"And why is that?" He opened his mouth and found himself at a loss for words.

"I...well, uh...you were...and he-" She giggled, bringing a soft flush to his cheeks. She turned and winked at Kankuro, and in that moment Gaara knew he had played right into her hand.

"Thanks, Kankuro!" His painted lips parted in a grin.

"Not a problem, you kids have fun!" With a small wave, he took off and disappeared into the crowd. Mayako turned back to Gaara, her eyes innocent and doe like.

"Well, you've got me here, so now you'll have to show me what to do," he stated, defeated.

"Well, I was hoping you'd wait a little longer, until a slower song came on…" She seemed to think for a moment before perking back up. "Follow me!" Before he could question her, she took his hand and began to drag him away from the lively reception. She led him to a far more quiet area of the village, stopping on a bridge that overlooked a peacefully flowing river.

"What are we doing here?" he questioned. "There's no music to dance to." She rested her hands on his shoulders.

"We don't need it. Just put your hands on my waist," she instructed. He did as he was told. She began to sway slightly, picking up a slow tempo, before starting her gentle steps. Gaara followed, clumsily at first, but it didn't take him long to pick up on the pattern. "See, I knew you could do it," she said encouragingly, looking up at him lovingly. His heart skipped a beat as he looked into her eyes. The moonlight reflecting in her grey orbs turned them into deep silvery pools that he found were all too easy to get lost in. Overwhelming emotion welled up within him, and he couldn't help but wonder if this was how Naruto had felt as he looked at Hinata while sharing their vows. "Hello? Gaara, are you in there?" He shook himself from his thoughts as he realized she was speaking.

"Yeah, sorry. What were you saying?"

"I just said I love you." Though he had heard them from her many times before, those words suddenly struck him in a way they never had. He wasn't sure if it was the romantic atmosphere that a wedding day brought along with it, or perhaps it was the idea that she could dance and enjoy the company of someone else but in the end only he would receive those words and that enchanting gaze. He brought their dance to an abrupt halt. She was about to protest, but was stopped as he pulled her into a kiss. It was deep and passionate, and it was the only way he knew how to communicate just what he was feeling, as the words weren't quite enough. They only parted when they needed air.

"I love you, Mayako," he finally replied, spinning her to resume their dance. As she let out the most lovely laughter, Gaara knew he was ready to make her his forever.


End file.
